Developer supplier, developing device including the same, image forming apparatus, and developer container included in the developer supplier

Abstract

A developer supplier includes a developer container and a main unit. The main unit includes a mounting section for allowing the developer container to be mounted therein. The developer container includes a container body, a container shutter and a developer discharge port. The container shutter is supported on the container body and covers or exposes the developer discharge port. The main unit includes a housing and a guide mechanism. The housing is formed with a developer supply port. The developer container is mounted into a first position of the mounting section while being guided in a first direction by the guide mechanism, and subsequently the container body is rotated from the first position to a second position in a first rotational direction to thereby move and expose the developer discharge port away from the container shutter so that the developer discharge port communicates with the developer supply port.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A developer supplier, comprising:
 a developer container configured to contain developer; and 
 a main unit including a mounting section for allowing the developer container to be mounted therein, the main unit being configured to receive the developer supplied from the developer container, wherein: 
 the developer container includes
 a container body formed with a developer discharge port, 
 a paddle member rotatably disposed in the container body, the paddle member has a paddle shaft that defines a pivotal axis of the paddle member, 
 a pair of mounting guide members, and 
 a container shutter supported on the container body slidably with respect to the developer discharge port, the container shutter being configured to cover or expose the developer discharge port; 
 
 the main unit includes
 a housing having the mounting section, the housing being formed with a developer supply port facing the developer container and communicating with an inside of the housing, and 
 a guide mechanism configured to guide the mounting of the developer container into the mounting section; and 
 
 the main unit allows the developer container to be mounted into a first position of the mounting section while being guided in a first direction by the guide mechanism, and subsequently allows the container body of the developer container to be rotated from the first position to a second position in a first rotational direction around an axis extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction to thereby move and expose the developer discharge port away from the container shutter so that the developer discharge port communicates with the developer supply port, and 
 the mounting guide members being disposed on both ends of the container body and extending in the first direction, the mounting guide members being engageable with the guide mechanism when the developer container is mounted into a first position of the mounting section, and each of the mounting guide members including a paddle bearing that axially supports the paddle shaft. 
 
     
     
       2. A developer supplier according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the housing includes a fastening portion configured to secure the container shutter; and 
 the container shutter is secured to the fastening portion at the first position, and the rotation of the container body of the developer container in the first rotational direction moves the developer discharge port in the first rotational direction so that the developer discharge port is exposed from the container shutter and communicates with the developer supply port at the second position. 
 
     
     
       3. A developer supplier according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the container body is rotated from the second position to the first position to move the developer discharge port in a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction so that the developer discharge port is covered by the secured container shutter. 
 
     
     
       4. A developer supplier according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the developer container is detached from the first position of the mounting section in a third direction opposite to the first direction to be dismounted from the main unit. 
 
     
     
       5. A developing device, comprising:
 a developer supplier according to  claim 1 ; and 
 a developing roller having a surface for carrying the developer, wherein 
 the housing of the main unit stores the developer, and 
 the developing roller is rotatably supported on the housing. 
 
     
     
       6. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
 an image carrier having a surface for allowing an electrostatic latent image to be formed thereon, the image carrier being configured to carry a developed image; 
 a developing device according to  claim 5  configured to supply the developer to the image carrier; and 
 a transfer section configured to transfer the developed image from the image carrier onto a sheet. 
 
     
     
       7. A developer container to be mounted into the main unit of the developer supplier according to  claim 1 , the developer container comprising:
 a shutter guide member disposed on the container body and supporting the container shutter in such a manner as to allow the container shutter to slide around the axis. 
 
     
     
       8. A developer supplier according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the developer container further includes:
 a container screw disposed in the container body and extending in the second direction, the container screw discharging the developer through the developer discharge port, 
 a side surface provide with one of the mounting guide members, 
 a filling port cap sealing a filling port formed adjacent to the one of the mounting guide members in the side surface, and 
 a screw bearing disposed on the side surface adjacent to one of the mounting guide members on the opposite side form the filling port cap, the screw bearing rotatably and axially supporting the container screw. 
 
 
     
     
       9. A developer supplier according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the housing includes a pair of sidewalls; 
 the guide mechanism includes a pair of guide grooves formed in the pair of sidewalls; and 
 respective inlet portions of the grooves being formed to extend in the first direction and respective farthest end portions of the grooves being in the form of a sector to permit rotation of the mounting guide members.